Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Microsoft Windows 8: A Buy Or a Bust?

Windows 8 from Microsoft is expected to be a tough competitor for Apple. Windows 8 breaks down the operating system (OS) walls that divide our devices. It works on tablets, laptops, desktops and even smartphones. It is a bold new take on computing, unifying tablets, desktops, laptops, the Internet, and smartphones under one Windows roof. That may be the biggest difference between Windows 8 and its predecessors. Microsoft is introducing the Metro interface it popularize with Windows Phone into Windows 8. Users can access the Metro view or the familiar desktop view with a simple click or tap.

The touch keyboard on Windows 8 looks and sounds like a supersized version of what you'll find on Windows Phone Devices. To work well on tablets, Windows 8 has been designed for touchscreens. More importantly, it has been designed to work on ARM-based processors, which means Windows 8 will work on almost any device put it on. It works with keyboards and touchscreens, and it doesn't matter if a device has an Intel, AMD or ARM processor.

Windows 8 will also have an App Store. Users will have the availability of both Win32 apps and Metro-style apps for Windows 8 via Windows Store. It is a clear indication that Microsoft doesn't intend to give up any ground to Apple and its App Store.

Windows 8 has five menu options that Microsoft calls Charms which include Start, Settings, Devices, Search, and Share. Start is as simple as it sounds. In synopsis, pressing start will bring users back to the start screen at any time. Settings will show settings related to the app users have open but also provide one-touch access to network settings, volume, brightness, notifications, power, and even changing the language.

The Devices option will show the devices that are available to users at any given time. Search enable users to search the web through Microsoft's Bing search engine. Share allows users to share items with social networking friends or followers. Windows 8 also has super fast booting which boots up the device in less than 8 seconds.

With Windows 8, Microsoft wants an everywhere OS, offering access to all information and services accross all your Windows 8 devices. To me this makes Windows 8 an all-around and versatile OS that may deserve to have a second look.